I’m sitting in the rocking chair in the newly revised living room. Yes, I know we moved furniture a few weeks back I made a few minor adjustments today after M mentioned a dislike for the couch in the middle of the room. I pushed the couch against the south wall, moved the keyboard to the east wall, and tilted the television so people on the couch could see the screen (although the unit looks somewhat precarious while tilted, I must admit). The tall plant is also now in the dining room. M likes the set up but thinks we should switch the keyboard and the elliptical. If the elliptical fits she may be right. We’ll see.

Anyway, I’m listening to Labradford’s Me Media Naranja while I write. Goddamn, this is a great record. James and Sean, this disc is coming your way soon.

So today was pretty good. I woke later than usual, past six, but M said I needed the sleep and she’s probably right. After a quick shower I drove into work an hour before the first meeting. P came upstairs, since I left a note taunting him on his door, and we chatted for a while. I didn’t get much done, but I had my laptop with me, so I took my laptop to the first meeting and knocked out my load sheets while people were talking about things of which I had already heard. Later, while going through graduate surveys, a female colleague tried to jog my memory about a student by saying the student was “stacked”. Sometimes I really like my job. Anyway, after the meeting was over I decided to cut out early on a beautiful day. After a quick and somewhat meager Costco visit I returned home and ate eggs for lunch. I answered some hanging emails before lifting weights and knocking an hour out on the elliptical. Yes, I worked out for about an hour and a half. And it felt normal. Interesting. The boys arrived from school not long after I showered and moved the furniture around. Apparently N started out badly this morning, saying he didn’t want to go to school, but he did well the rest of the afternoon. I snagged a pizza from Papa Murphy’s (the lady in front of me drove me fucking nuts…decide what you want, crazy lady) while the boys watched television. After eating we played football until I got sick of the kids bitching about 1) each other, and 2) my throws. I took a bath and finished Housekeeping (review on GR soon) before M and I watched the end of “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.” I probably should go upstairs and say good night to the boys but they’re up late and I’m worried I’ll distract them.

So this morning I informally polled my colleagues and discovered perhaps a third of them are attending tomorrow’s inauguration. I thought we had to go! Well, I thought we unofficially had to go. I know it’s not in our contract. In fact, the U email on it was pretty sneaky…one of those “please tell us if you’re not coming” emails. I’m not stupid…I’m not replying to that sucker. I’ll take my chances, if I’m not attending, on their failing to notice my lack of presence. Anyway, I’m having second thoughts on attending now. But I have second thoughts on attending every big university event. I honestly think I have some sort of social disorder related to formal university gatherings. Well, the disorder transcends university gatherings. I’ve always hated weddings, dances, any event where I had to dress up and couldn’t hide in a darkened stairwell or abandoned coatroom. T at work said I was going to have to pick some things and attend them, if I expected to advance, but I’m worried that advancing would mean I have to attend more of those events. Could I get a psychiatrist to sign off on my disorder and never attend another again? Can that be done?

Tomorrow I want to hit the West Bend Farmer’s Market. I think we’re down to three farmer’s market weekends. I’ll miss them when they’re gone. T has been asking to visit the Kettle Moraine Woods but he may renege. I have to cut the grass. Corey at work said he might want to hang out if we skip the ceremony. We’ll see. Good night.